Do the crime, do the Mac time

In most prisons there is hard time and there is easy time, but at Fulham Correctional Centre in Gippsland, inmates are offered Mac time.

Managers at the jail have approved a scheme that allows prisoners to eat Big Macs in exchange for good behaviour.

The prison has been testing the scheme to reduce drug use, violence and anti-social behaviour.

Under the scheme, prisoners may order Big Macs, have a barbecue or order in food if their unit has had a month or more of good behaviour.

"It is up to the discretion of the general manager, who provides a range of incentive programs as part of an overall management plan," a spokesman for the Office of the Correctional Service Commissioner said.");document.write("

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The prisoners are required to pay for the food themselves, and the perk appears to be less popular with some prisoners than others.

Records show that John William Higgs, who made millions running Victoria's largest amphetamines empire, has spent just $4.10 on fast food since the trial began two years ago.

He has more expensive tastes. Two years ago a Christmas meal for prison inmates paid for by Higgs and fellow inmate Jason Moran was scaled back after authorities decided the plans, which included a $2500 buffet of seafood, roasts and salad, were too lavish.

Prisoner benefits are a sensitive issue for prison authorities and have been in the spotlight recently. The use of computer games by prisoners has been banned pending a review, following media reports that many of the games contained violent scenes.

Fulham, one of two prisons in Victoria run by privately owned Australasian Correctional Management, is the only centre in the state offering fast-food incentives.

The food is driven to the prison from nearby Sale, and has been described by prison management as an important tool in encouraging good behaviour.

But the scheme has angered victims' rights lobbyists, who say prisoners are already treated too leniently.

Noel McNamara of the Crime Victims Support Association called for a review of the scheme. "It's an absolute disgrace. Prison is meant to be punishment," he said.

Mr McNamara said the scheme should be reviewed by the corrections commissioner.

But a spokesman for the commissioner's office said there was no plans to halt the scheme. "It has worked well so far. It is not used to single out individual prisoners for preferential treatment and is used only on an irregular basis," the spokesman said.